I've been on Effexor 225mg daily now for 14 months as well as Chlorpromazine. It took me a while before I actually took the med's properly on a regular daily basis. At around 6 months I noticed a terrible itch all over my body especially arms and legs. This eventually subsided and I thought nothing more of it as I had read the leaflet with the meds and was aware of the possibility of itching as a side effect.
As I type this at the moment I am being driven crazy by the same all over itch. I do not break out in hives but nonetheless i'm itching like mad. I guess i can attribute this latest itching to a break from taking the meds for 5 days and then starting again. This break was unintentional and I suffered severe withdrawal having serious mood swings etc. I have in the past mentioned the itching to my doctor and she knew nothing about it and wasn't concerned. Aside from the itching I do sweat excessively now also. Not when in a rested state but any exertion and it pours from me. As for treating my depression I think i'm at a plateau with it. I'm not suicidal like I was a year ago but I'm not exactly happy. I will say this to anyone else taking them...DO NOT stop taking them suddenly. It will mess u up lol.
As I type this at the moment I am being driven crazy by the same all over itch. I do not break out in hives but nonetheless i'm itching like mad. I guess i can attribute this latest itching to a break from taking the meds for 5 days and then starting again. This break was unintentional and I suffered severe withdrawal having serious mood swings etc. I have in the past mentioned the itching to my doctor and she knew nothing about it and wasn't concerned. Aside from the itching I do sweat excessively now also. Not when in a rested state but any exertion and it pours from me. As for treating my depression I think i'm at a plateau with it. I'm not suicidal like I was a year ago but I'm not exactly happy. I will say this to anyone else taking them...DO NOT stop taking them suddenly. It will mess u up lol.
I took effexor for several years. When I stopped taking it I broke out in hives as well and dealt with awful withdrawals. To get rid of the hives I had to go back on effexor, break open the capsule and remove one white pellet at a time and gradually taper off effexor. It took me a year to free myself of grips of effexor. It was one the most difficult things I have had to do. You can get off of it and not have hives. It is a slow and painful process but it can be done!!
I am on week one being off Effexor XR I am breaking out in hives all over my arms and chest. Not to mention all the terrible other effects. The loud noises like bees in my head are making work almost impossible. Luckily I got to take off for the weaning of this medication but the side effects are horrendous. The agitation pain in limbs And my right calf keeps being electricuded at night. This is no fun and no one should ever have to love through this. Thank you all for sharing the words from others experiencing the same nightmare have helped so much.
Hi there I am having hives for a year , and takin get Effexor for many years,I want to try not taking it but I am scared off the withdraw symptoms
Hey my name is Jennifer I had been on effexor xr many times I would stop and start it due to weird side effects. I got really depressed a a couple months ago and had to go back on it.I had a weird rash on my thighs but figured it was just sweat rash. One morning I woke up in bad hives welts red raised itchy and
I had been itchy before as well. I'm going on 3 weeks with them on and off but no where near as bad as my first reaction.But I also kept taking the effexor on and off for 2weeks of the hives because I was told it probably could have been my antibiotic I was on for a sinus infection which I had been on many times before.I sopped the effexor cold turkey about 8 days ago so is it just a matter of time until they go away completely ??Im so exhausted and scared these will never go away.Im just curious as to how long these can last?Does it take time for them to go away I'm so depressed and wanna get back to my normal life cause I'm miserable crying and scared all the time not to mention this was one of my phobias
I had been itchy before as well. I'm going on 3 weeks with them on and off but no where near as bad as my first reaction.But I also kept taking the effexor on and off for 2weeks of the hives because I was told it probably could have been my antibiotic I was on for a sinus infection which I had been on many times before.I sopped the effexor cold turkey about 8 days ago so is it just a matter of time until they go away completely ??Im so exhausted and scared these will never go away.Im just curious as to how long these can last?Does it take time for them to go away I'm so depressed and wanna get back to my normal life cause I'm miserable crying and scared all the time not to mention this was one of my phobias
I've experienced the same thing while taking effexor. Origionally I thought the itching was caused by dry winter months but then it got worse with the hives appearing in the evening. It took about 1.5 years of taking this medication for the hives to show. My doc at the VA thought the hives were the result of my anxiety so she upped my dose. Yeah that didn't work out too well as the itching got worse. I'm now getting off this drug, and hope the itching and hives don't hang around for too long. Also, it doesn't seem like doctors know about this reaction, as they all seem to blame it on something else. The drug helped my depression for a long time, but it's now not worth the horrible itch.
Yes! I'm weaning off Effexor, and I've started breaking out in a rash with hives!
Hi I was wondering if you still check this site and if so how your hives are now that you weened off the Effexor. I've had hives since December 23rd 2015 and still have them. Been to doctor after Doctor and even tried xolair but that made them worse and wound up in ER. I've weened off all my meds except for Effexor and propranolol. I've been putting off the Effexor because of the side effects but at this point I have no choice. Nothing at all is helping and my skin is raw from itching. I am so miserable this hindering my life in so many ways. I hope you still read this site. Thank you for any input you may have for me.
How long did it take for your hives to completely go away?? I am in the process of weening off of 225 mg of Effexor. How many mg were you on when you stopped cold turkey? Thanks for any input you may have.
Hi I was wondering how long it took you to wean off the Effexor and if your hives went away. I know your post is over a year old but hoping maybe you still check this site. Thank you for any input you may have. I have been suffering with chronic hives and angioedema for a little over six months amd have been to many doctors and have been on every antihistamine combo there is plus xolair which believe or not made my hives worse and gave me a lot of other sym temps that brought to the ER. Thank you...
Hi I have the same issues as everyone else on this thread. At least I think the hives are caused by the Effexor. I'm not sure if it was a case of them just starting after awhile (I was on 300mg) or if they are from starting to go down on my dose. The itching started around two months ago, the hives around five weeks ago. Anyone have any words of encouragement? Did the hives eventually stop after withdrawals? The only thing that seems to have gotten worse are the hives, the rest of the effects from going down on the dose seem mild.
I developed Hives after taking this medication for 1.5 years. It came on suddenly then progressively got worse over time. After it turned into a daily event, and I couldn't stand it anymore, I stopped taking it. It took a few months for the hives to stop appearing, even with daily antihistamines. I'll never take it again, it just wasn't worth the discomfort.
I have it right now! This is my third week withdrawing from the medication and the hives are horrible! How long until they go away?!?!
I'v been taking Effexor for year lately been getting a rash for 8months should I change medicine?
Yes, I experienced the exact same thing (chronic hives all over) coming off of Effexor. It took a little over a year for it to resolve. It was miserable. I believe Effexor has an antihistamine effect. Possibly those of us without low DAO or high or low histamine in general can have a problem. I'm not sure. I haven't figured out all the connections yet. But now 10 year later while I don't have hives thankfully, I have had for the last 3 years pain at the base of my skull, brain fog, memory loss, insomnia, depression, anxiety. I think somehow it's related also. I am a 47 yo woman, only took antidepressants that one time for 6 months.